MoSA Responds Quickly to Handle Survivor of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Eruption

EAST FLORES (November 6, 2024) - Vice Minister of Social Affairs Agus Jabo Priyono led the process of distributing logistical assistance from Ministry of Social Affairs for survivors of the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki at Larantuka Port, East Flores on Wednesday (11/6/2024) at 04.00 WITA. The assistance was distributed to several centralized evacuation locations located in three points, namely Konga Village, Bokang Wolomatang Village, and Lewolaga Village.

Emergency response logistics assistance from the Efata Center Logistics Warehouse in Kupang in the form of:

• Mattresses: 400 sheets

• Children's Clothing 300 packages

• Children's Food 1,000 packages

• Ready-to-Eat Food: 1,500 packages

• Adult Clothing 300 packages

• Blankets: 500 sheets

• Multipurpose Tents 10 units

• Portable Toilets 2 units

• Velbed: 40 units

• Family Kit: 300 packages

• Kidsware 300 packages

In addition to logistical assistance, Ministry of Social Affairs also sent medicines and masks to support health services in evacuation sites. Ministry of Social Affairs together with the local government has also established public kitchens at several evacuation points to ensure that refugees receive adequate and nutritious food intake.

On that occasion, Vice Minister of Social Affairs Agus checked the public kitchen of the Konga Village post which had been established by Ministry of Social Affairs since Monday (4/11/204). The public kitchen post is located at the closest point to the eruption location of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki and serves 1,219 people every day.

The public kitchen officers deployed to serve the food needs of the Lewotobi eruption refugees were deployed from various elements, starting from Tagana as the front guard and also assisted by the Disaster Alert Village administrators, the East Flores Police, and the East Flores Kodim 1624. Various parties worked together to provide assistance as quickly and appropriately as possible so that the emergency situation befalling the survivors could be resolved.

In addition to visiting three evacuation posts in East Flores, Vice Minister of Social Affairs Agus also directly saw the location of the village in Klatanlo Village which was hit by avalanches of eruption material in the form of large burning rocks resulting in loss of life and distributed compensation to eight of the nine heirs of the victims of the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki represented by Agnes Sulaiar. Compensation was also given to injured victims as a form of government concern for families affected by the eruption.

For victims who died, each heir received compensation of IDR15 million per person. Meanwhile, victims with serious injuries receive IDR5 million per person.

Vice Minister of Social Affairs Agus stated that his presence there was to ensure that the survivors' needs and comfort were met while in evacuation. In principle, Ministry of Social Affairs is ready to provide for the needs of survivors of the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki. Various other Ministry of Social Affairs logistics warehouses are also ready to distribute additional assistance if needed according to needs in the field.

Through Ministry of Social Affairs, the Government is committed to continuing to assist and ensure that all the needs of refugees and the heirs of victims are met properly so that they can return to normal life.